Stacking apparatus



Feb. 23, 1932. Sl F|NN 1,846,324

STACKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 23, 1932.

s. J. #INN 1,846,324

STACKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 14927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb.23, 1932 UNITED ,STATES 1` .A."rr;l\rr` ort-lcs SIDNEY J'. FINN, 0FBEVERLY, ASSIGNOB T0 UNITED SHOE fIA.-

CHINEBY CORPORATION, 0F PATESON, `NEW' JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEWJmSEY STAGKIN G APPARATUS Application med January 5, 1927. serial No.156,134.

My invention relates te apparatus for stacking, or eecting thearrangement-in an orderly series, ot such articles vas portions ofrubber or other types of shoes.

ln the manufacture of rubber shoes, the in;T

soles, after being coated upon one side with cement, are placed upon along conveyor to partially dry said cement, and are collected one by oneat the delivery-end of the con veyor in groups oi-a suitable number tobe supplied to operatives who perform the succeeding operation. Thiscollection from the conveyor requires constant attention, and an objectof the present-invention is to provide vlor the effective stacking ofthe delivered articles, the attendant havingonly to dis ose of a stackedseries when the desired num er has accumulated.

As a feature ot the invention leading to the y accomplishment of thisobject, I combine with means tor advancing articles in a generallyhorizontal plane, means, as a series of hngers or like members, movableone aiter` another into such plane for engaging the advanced articlesand stacking them upon their edges, as on a movable support, with whichis associated means for moving it. In this Way, cemented insoles may bereceived in their direction ot travel upon the drying conveyor, andassembled in any convenient number without exerting even the pressure ofthe articles themselves upon one another, which might cause the coatedsurfaces to adhere to those adjacent. They are also convenientlyarranged for removal in groups. The delivery ot the articles, which mayhe both from and to a conveyor, is preferably against an abutment risingtrom the receiving support. rlio allow this abutment to be positionedreadily upon its conveyor tobest cooperate With the articles deliveredto it, retaining means is shown herein, which may consist of aprojection upon the abutment adapted to enter The meansv Alierdelivering to the abutment ll have shown the links of a chain-conveyor.

as consisting et revoluble fingers, which I preter to make yieldable. Bythis arrangement, articlesl engaged by the ngers so near their ends thatthey cannot be elevated properly, may be treed as a result of the yieldand left for engagement by the fingers next acting, instead of beingpartially raised and dropped back in positions from which they cannot bedelivered.-

To permit the delivering means to act in the correct relationtothe'conveyor with its abutment or other receiving member, as anotherfeature of the invention, this receiving member is made movable underthe influence of means governed by the delivered articles.

In this way, movement may be reduced in ber, which gages the stack andthereby determines the action of vthe power mechanism upon the abutmentor receiving member. The particular organization hcrein'disclosed forthus adjusting the receiving member combines with means foro deliveringarticles, a clutch, which is set by the measuring member under the powerof the delivering means in accordance with the number of articles yinplace or the longitudinal dimension of the stack, and which is thenactuated by connections to the delivering means in accordance with thissetting to produce the desired alteration in the receiving member.

As illustrative of my invention, the accompanying drawings present anapparatus 1n whic Fig. 1 shows as a broken top' plan;

Fig. 2, a broken side elevation; and

Fig. 3, a perspective of the clutch mecha- A msm.

The delivery-end of a drying'conveyor 1() is supported upon a roll 12driven from a source o' power (not shown). In a frame 14 adjacent toandbelow the conveyor 10 rotates a horizontal shaft 16 `carrying a seriesof spaced pulleys 18 guiding conveyor-belts 20, which extend in agenerally horizontal directionrover pulleys 22 on a shaft 24 journaled vin the frame parallel to the shaft 16. lotation may be imparted to theshaft 24, and the belts 20 thereby caused to advance the insoles S orother work-pieces carried upon their upper runs, throughsprocket-gearing '26 from the roll 12. Secured upon the shaft 24, beingequidistant from each other, are carrier-disks 28, about the peripheriesof which are located pairs of spaced cheeks 30. Between each pair ofcheeks is pivotally mounted a finger32, held yieldably in a positionsubstantially tangential to the periphery of the disk by a spring 34located between its pivotal mounting and a depression in the ad- .jacentedge of the disk. As the fingers of each transverse series rise betweenthe belts 20 of the delivering conveyor, they lift therefrom the insoleswhich' have been discharged from the conveyor 10, and transfer them to asupport in the form of a receiving conveyor. If the `engagement of thefingers with the in- Soles is such as to with certainty elevate them,the weight is applied so near the pivotal points of the fingers thatthese do` not yield. On the other hand, if the fingers contact neartheir ends with the insoles so that they might fall rearwardlystherefrom and assume positions upon the belts 20 from which they couldnot be raised, the springs 34 yield, leaving the articles upon the beltsto receive the elevating engagement ofthe succeeding series of fingers.Further, since the ends of the fingers are more remote from the axis ofthe shaft 24 than are the belts 20, the former l travel at a greatervelocity. Therefore, when the articles are nearv the ends of the fingersbeneath the articles, so the proper action of the following lingers isassured. As illustrated, the receiving conveyor consists of a plurality.of generally horizontally extending chains 36, a portion of the runs ofwhich lie between pairs of the pulleys 22 and disks 30, they operatingover supports furnished by sprocket-wheels 38 arranged in oppositeseries upon an inner shaft 40 and an outer shaft 42 journaled upon theframe. As the fingers bearing the insoles descend between the chains,they deposit said insoles with their forward edges upon the chains andoccupying approximately vertical positions. y hey are-prevented fromtipping rearwardly upon delivery, and are. guided in their descent, bycurved members 43 furnished by wires extending between certain of thedisks 28. To retain the insoles thus supported upon their edges on thechains, they rest against an abutment-surface 44, which ,may be slightlyinclined outwardly fromthe vertical to prevent them from tilting in theopposite direction. `The abutment surface is upon a yoke having sidesupporting arms 46, 46 situated beyond the outer chains 36 and providedwith inturned end portions 48 resting upon the top of the side bars ofthe frame and thus serving to guide the yoke as th adapted to enterbetween the links of the chains andV thus hold the abutment-surface inany desired initial relation to the delivering point of the transferringfingers. The location of the abutment member may readily be altered byliftingthe yoke and depositing it with lthe projectlons 1n engagementwith any of the links of the upper runs of the chains.

If the, abutment is initially located upon the chains to mosteifectivelyreceive the delivered insoles, it must be moved away from the deliveringdevice by substantially the thickness of an insole after each delivery.This is accurately accomplished, and with a minimum pressure upon thestacked articles, by the mechanism which will now be descibed. The shaft42 carries a connecting device, which may be in the form of a Hortonclutch, having a driven member 52 fast upon the shaft and a drivingmember 54,v normally loose but -frictionally engaging the driven memberto rotate 't when turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. '2of the drawings. Depending from' the periphery of the driving member 54is a projection 56. Beneath the projection is a guide-bracket 58, overwhich is movable, at the inner slide of the projection, a setting member60, while at the outer side is an actuating member 62. These membersrespectively first rotate the driving member 54 idlydn one direction toa position determined by testing mechanism operable with the deliveringfingers to an extent depending upon the thickness of the stack againstthe abutment, and then turn said driving member in the oppositedirection to rotate the driven member 52, and thereby cause the travelof the chains in accordance with the just-indicated setting. e

To measure the stack and govern theclutch device, there areV mounted toreciprocate horizontally through a transversely extendingI bracket 64,rods 66, of which three are shown, spaced from onel another across theconveyorbelts 20. These three rods insure proper cooperation with thestack, whatever the size of the insoles which make it up. The forwardextremities of the rods extend into proximity with the plane of deliveryof the fingers 32,"and are guided for reciprocation through the bracket64 by a yoke 68 pivoted at 70 upon the frame. To compensate for themovement of the joint between the yoke and rods out of ioo a horizontalplane, they are yieldably' conl y nected by a spring 72 surrounding eachrod and seated against a collar 74 fast thereon,

the opposite extremity'of the' spring forcing i the cross-bar of theyoke 68 against the rounded end of a second fast collar 76. Movable atone sidev of the frame, in brackets 80, 80, is a-slide 82, upon whichisfulcrumed a lli leveriBi. Through a vertical slot 86in a forwardextension `of the upper portion of the lever passes a horizontalprojection 88 from the adjacent side of the yoke 68'. A spring 90,connecting the slideiwith the lever below its fulcrum, holds said levernormally against a pin 92 projecting from, the slide. This slide, andtherefore the lever 84 androds 66, are normally maintained at theoutward extreme of travel of the rods from the stacked soles by a.spring 93 connected to the slide and to such a fixed point as one of thebrackets. The lower end of the lever 84 is joined by a slot-and-pinconnection to a Arod 94, which is fixed at its outer extremity to theclutch-setting member 60. After each delivery of an insole to the stackby one of the series of ngers `32, slide 82 is moved from itsrestingosition for a deiinite'distance to the right ig. 2').` This isaccomplished by lsonic one of a series of projections 96 carried` uponthe inner face of the sprocket-wheel of gearing 26 which kis secured tothe shaft 24. These projections correspond in their spacing about thesprocket to that of the fingers 82. The actuating effect of theprojection is transmitted `to the slide 82 by contact of the projection`with an inclined surface upon a lever 98 pivoted upon the frame, andjoined by a link 100 to the slide. As the slide travels, it carries withit'the lever 84, the first part of this movement being idle, the membernot having reached the clutch-projection 56. But when the forwardextremities of the rods 66 i arrive at the point at which space shouldexist for the deposit of the .next insole to be stacked, the member 60will be in proximity to the clutch-projection. If at or before this timethe rods encounter the surface of the outer article of the stack, theirprogress will he arrested, and then not only will the travel of theslide continue, but the lever 84 will now be 'tilted-upon said slide,moving its low` er and toward the clutch against the tension till of thespring 90. This through the member 60, rotates the driving member 54 ofthe clutch in an anti-clockwise direction, throu h an angle governed bthe extent to whicht e stach reaches beyon the desired point. Thistesting mechanism is then released by the passage ohthe projection 96past the contactface of the lever 98 and returned to its initialposition by the spring 93.K Immediately after this, one of the series ofprojections 96 con-i tacts with an inclined surface upon a lever i02fulcrumed upon thekframe. The lever is thereby swung through a definiteangle by the power thus applied, and, by a connecting rod 104, carriesthe actuating member 62 against the clutch-projection 56. The drivin'member 54 will consequently be rotated rough an angle determined by theprevious setting of the'projection by the member 60 under the iniluenceof the` stack-testing rods. Frictional engagement of the connectingdevice inthe clutch will consequently turn the driven member 52 and theshaft 42,advancing the conveyor-chains 36 and locating the receivingface of the stack at the proper point.

To briefly outline the operation of the apparatus, cemented insoles Sare delivered by the -drying conveyor 10 to the upper runs of the belts20, and, when each insole arrives at Ythe transferring device, itislifted by a series of fingers 32 if the points of engagement withsaidfingers are correct. Otherwise, the iingers yield, leaving the insoleupon the belts.

for engagement by the succeeding series. Carried forward and downward bythe fingers, each insole isdeposited upon its edge on the receiving'chains 36 and tilted forward against the abutment-surface 44a/,the iiners which transferred the article yielding as t ey leave it and passingbelow the chains. Upon this delivery, the ower-driven projection 96corresponding to t e fingers which have acted engages the lever 98 toadvance the testing rods 66 in timed relation with said fingers throughthe vslide 82 and lever 84. If the stack has not accumulated to anextent which makes more roem between it and the deliveringdevicenecessary, the testing-operation v produces no effect upon the abutment.But, if the fingers encounter the outer surface of the stacked insole,their advance is sto ped, swinging the lever in ananti-clockwiseirection upon the slide, and producing a setting of the clutch memberf54through an angle' proportionate to the desired amount Aof movement ofthe abutment away from the delivering device. This setting having beenaccomplished, another projection 96 in the series tilts the lever 102',causing the member62 to rotate the clutch-portion 54 `oppositely to itssetting movement, and thus advancing the lchains 36 with the abutment tocorrespond to the setting which resulted Ifrom the stack measuringoperation. When a stack of the after Vanother into such plane andarranged.

to engage the advancing articles and stack them upontheir edges, amovable support upon which the articles are thus stacked, and means formoving the support.

2; The combination'with vspaced conveyors for delivering articles,"ofrotatable disks, article-transferring projections from the disksrevoluble between the conveyors, and a support for the articles belowwhich support the projections descend their delivveyor, of a receivingconveyor, an abutment risingA from` the receiving conveyor, and meansarranged to engage articles upon the delivering conveyor and place themupon f their edges on the receiving conveyor against the abutment.

5. The combination with spaced conveyors, of yieldable .fingersrevoluble between the conveyors, and a receiving abutment against whichthe fingers transfer articles from the conveyor.

6. In a stacking apparatus, spaced conveyors, a carrier-disk .rotatablebetween the con veyors, and a linger projecting from the care rier-diskand being yieldabl'e under the weight of the articles to'be stacked whencontacting with them near the outer extremity of said finger.

7. The combination with a delivering conveyor, of a receiving conveyor,an abutment having a retaining device arranged to engage the receivinconveyor, and means `)for transferring artic es from the deliveringconveyor against the abutment. v

8. The combination with a delivering conveyor, of a receiving conveyorincluding car- Iier-chains, an abutment having projections constructedand arranged to enter links of the chains and retain the abutmentiinvarious p ositions thereon, and means for-transferrin against theabutment upon the receiving oonveyor.

9. The combination with an endless conveyor having an abutment, of meansfor delivering articles to the conveyor, and means governed in litsoperation by the delivered articles for moving the conveyor.

10. The combination with a movable -receiving member, of means fordelivering articles to the receiving member, power mechanism for movingthe receiving member, said,

mechanism being normally ineffective to roduce such movement, and meansgoverne by the delivered articles for connectin the j power mechanism tothe receiving mein r.

11. The combination with a movable receiving member, Aof means fordelivering articles to the receiving member, a member movable towardeach article after its deliv- 3 ery, power-mechanism normally`disconnected I'. 12|. In a stacking apparatus, a movable articles fromthe delivering conveyor/ll stack-receiving member, means for deliveringarticles upon their edges to'said member, means for testing a dimensionof the stack at one side thereof, and means governed by the testingmeans for moving the receiving member.

13. In a stacking apparatus, a movable stack-receiving member, means fordelivering articles to said member, a testing member movable toward andfrom the stack, power mechanism, and means governed as a result ofstopping the movement of the testing member by the stackfor applyingpower to the receiving member.

14. In a stacking apparatus, a movable stack-reeiving member, a movablemember deliver g tothe receiving. member, a measuring ember movable intimed relation with theAdelivering Vmember toward and from the stack, aconnecting device arranged to be set in the movementof the measuringJmember,

and means for applying power through the connecting device to thereceiving member in accordance with the setting.

15. In a stacking apparatus, a m vable stack-receiving member, arotatable member delivering to the receiving member, a stackmeasuringmember, means rotatable with the delivering member for moving themeasuring member toward and from the stack, a connecting device joinedto the receiving member and arranged to be set under the influence ofthe measuring member, fand' means rotatable with the deliveringfmemberand arranged to move the connecting device in accordance with itssetting.

16. The combination with a receiving conr veyor, of an abutment carriedthereby, means for delivering articles against the abutment, a-testingmember movable toward and from the abutment, and means for advancingtheconveyor; under the control ofthe testin member. 17. The combinationwith a receiving conveyor, of an abutment carried thereby, means fordelivering articles against the abutment, a reciprocatory slide, atesting member yieldably mounted upon the slide and co-operating loswith the abutment, and a connecting device for the conveyor arranged tobe set by the testing member as a result of its yield. 18 Thecombination-with a rotatable support, of an conveyor tgperating over thesuprt, a clutch connec to the support, means or delivering articles tothe conveyor, a member movable toward and from each article afterdelivery, connections to the member for setting the clutch, and meansAfor driving the Y support through the clutch from the set psif tion.

19. :The combination with a rotatable support, of a conveyor operatingover thesuport, a clutch connected to the support, means deliveringarticles to the conve or, av v member movable toward and from eac arti-4 cle after delivery, connections to the member for setting the clutch,and connections operable upon the delivery of each article for applyingpower to the set clutch.

20. The combination with a series of revoluble ingers, of a movableabutment against which the fingers successively deliver articles, aseries of projections one for each finger revoluble therewith, a membermovable by the projections into (1o-operation with the articles aftertheir delivery, and means for moving the abutment under the control ofthe member.

21. 'lhe combination with a series of revoluble fingers, of a conveyorcarrying an abutment against which the lingers successsively deliverarticles in a stack, a rotatable support for the conveyor, a clutchconnected to the support, a series of projections one for each fingerrevoluble therewith, a slide movable by the proj ections, astack-testing member yieldable upon the member arranged to move anelement of the clutch in one direction, and connections operable by theprojections :for moving said clutch element in the opposite direction.v

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

SIDNEY J. FINN.

the slide, connections to

